I have really been mulling this over. I work in a somewhat physical job. I have to get people from supine to sit, sit to stand, on the toilet, in the shower. It can be quite demanding on your body. One of the reasons I became on OT is because I’m just not that into going to the gym all the time. I like getting my physical activities through other, organic things like walking to the grocery store, yoga, dancing. I’m definitely not a gym rat. However, as I mentioned in other posts, I have issues with my neck and back. So moving pts really works my muscles but I have come to the realization that I NEED to work out..regularly. I need to do something else, beside work my 40-hour-a-week job. I need to stay healthy. Because, like I’ve posted before, if I don’t take care of myself, no one else will.

My co-workers all love to run. I hate running. I can’t relate when everyone talks about whatever race they are doing next. Someone else swims, some play tennis, some lift weights, some bike. One guy surfs. I do yoga. That really is the thing that I do that helps me with myself, my body, my life. I don’t do the Americanized version of yoga, where you try to do all these crazy poses in a limited amount of time. I like to do gentle, restorative yoga. I like to calm my mind. I like to lie on my back, do spinal twists, breathe, stretch my muscles that get worked out from doing maximum level assistance transfers. It’s important to have good posture and breathing techniques, especially as a therapist. For 2012, I look forward to deepening my yoga practice and taking care of myself more than I take care of my pts. It sounds selfish, but it’s the only way I’m gonna make it to be an old OT. I have to make sure my body can last in this type of physically demanding job. I don’t want to end up like one of my pts and have spinal surgery or a hip replacement. I want to stay as healthy as I can.

Mrs. M was the pt that was having a stroke in the Rehab dept. Her brain and body haven’t been handling the shock so well. Her family put her on comfort care and PT/OT/SLP are no longer working with her. She is/was a very feisty, independent lady. We’re sorry that she is nearing the end of life. I think her family agrees that her 87 years were so full of life. No one ever wants to go, but it’s the circle of life. Some times, you just have to remind yourself that everyone dies and to make the most out of your life. She’s such a sweet lady. Those good memories are what help people go on.

My student started today! I was quite apprehensive because this person will be following me all day long, 40 hours a week for 12 weeks. She arrived today and it seemed to go okay. I think we get along and I hope I don’t intimidate her. I know that I make very direct comments. What can I say? I speak my mind. Some times I wonder if I have a frontal lobe injury, ha! I probably just have to figure out how not to overwhelm her. There’s a little bit of knowledge in my head that I like to share, but maybe it’s too much. Oh well. Let the fun times roll!

Usually, the end of the day is pretty mellow. I spend my time getting things in order and getting ready for the next day. Not today!

During the last hour of work, a person was literally stroking out in the bathroom. Here’s what happened (as summarized by a supervisor):

Mrs. M was referred to outpatient PT for a complete rotator cuff tear by Dr. M. She arrived via a transport van from her assisted living facility. She was evaluated by Julie, PT. The patient was able to participate in the evaluation, walk into the treatment room and actively move her left arm. After the evaluation, the patient was very tired and required maximal assistance to transfer to a chair. At this time Julie actually wrote Dr. M and recommend Home Health PT as this trip to outpatient PT seemed to really exhaust her. The ambassador team was called and DP arrived with a w/c in which the PT transferred the patient to. The lift team was paged by the PT department to assist the ambassadors with the patient’s transfer to the car. As the patient was waiting for her ride, she told the ambassadors that she had to use the bathroom. Ambassadors SS and BR decided it was best to bring the patient to the hospital’s PT/OT department because the bathroom was big and the therapists could help if needed. They did not know the patient actually came from outpatient PT.  Mariel, OT and Matt from the lift team were in the department when the patient arrived and kindly helped the patient go to the bathroom and get back in the w/c. It was then that Carter, PT and Resie, OT noticed that the patient was not talking and slumping to her left side. They evaluated the patient’s cranial nerves and noticed that the patient was drooling, exhibiting signs of left neglect and not moving her left arm. They paged Julie who came right over from the outpatient department and confirmed that there was a change in Mrs. M’s presentation from when she walked in to the department at 1:00. Mrs. M was immediately taken to the ED, conveniently located around the corner from hospital Rehab and a stroke code was called by the ED physicians. Mrs. M was found to have a hemorrhagic stroke and is now in the ICU.

It was great teamwork from everyone involved. As an inpatient therapist, I am now directly involved in Mrs. M’s care at the hospital. It was convenient that I was there when she was having her stroke because I witnessed it. It was an amazing day.

It is 2012 and I have so many OT goals for the year!

I am going to have my first OT student. I want it to be a success. I need to make myself complete my hands and physical agent modalities certifications. I have been procrastinating long enough! I will get LSVT-BIG certified. Big and expensive goals. But I can do it!
Yay, OT!

Seems like lots of patients are always dying around Christmas time. Last year, one of my pts (who I will never forget) died. She had been battling leukemia on/off for two years and she had always bounced back. This time, it was too much. I wasn’t there when she died, but I was there during the process of her wanting to try and live….and her finally communicating that enough was enough and that she was ready to go. Today a pt passed away just before the end of our shift, a young lady with leukemia. It can be really hard because you get attached working with the pts.

Today, several therapists got together for a Happy Hour and that was very therapeutic for us. We work as a team, in life/death situations and we can be kind of intense in our daily work routine. We take our jobs seriously but really try not to let it overwhelm us. Going out and just talking about regular life was very good for us. It was one way of not letting emotions build up or get out of control. This is all part of the very important, work-life balance.